Winter Warm-Up: NYC’s Best Feel-Good Grub

There are a lot of wonderful things about wintertime in New York: the first snowfall, ice skating at Bryant Park, and the complete absence of that (wtf?!) sewage smell that takes over in August. But post-holidays, all of that goodness morphs into face-shattering cold, traffic-stopping storms, and absolutely no Christmas presents in sight. The best way to combat those inclement days is to play hooky and warm your insides with a couple of feel-good food staples. From soups and sammies to pot pies that redefine pot pies, these calorie-worthy dishes can be found at 17 of NYC's hottest spots (pun intended). If you're feeling guilty about the potential extra-poundage, don't. It's called insulation.

Talk Soup
Gazpacho rules as the sole soup of summer, but winter provides a bottomless pot of melting medleys.

EAK’s Bowl of Red at Hill Country Barbecue ($5.50-$20)
“Chili Queens” used to dot the nighttime landscape of San Antonio, serving scorching bowls to ice-cold cowboys. Hill Country keeps the tradition alive with a just-rightly spiced meat stew.Hill Country Barbecue, 30 West 26th Street (between Broadway and 6th Avenue); 212-255-4544.

Pecan Duck with Dirty Rice at The Dutch ($28)
Andrew Carmellini serves this pecan-laced, duck-fat-fortified bird on a bed of dirty rice, and it tastes just like Christmas down on the bayou.The Dutch, 131 Sullivan Street (between Prince and West Houston streets); 212-677-6200.

DuMac & Cheese at DuMont ($15)
Considered by some to be the best mac ‘n’ cheese in the city (including us — we’ll fight you on it), the DuMac is layered with bacon, cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan, with a crisp salty crust.DuMont, 432 Union Avenue (between Metropolitan Avenue and Devoe Street); 718-486-7717.

Truffled Hot Buttered Rum at Saxon + Parole ($14)
Hot. Buttered. Rum. Three words that already evoke visions of cashmere-wrapped nights in front of a crackling fire. Just add “truffle” to transport you from the Bowery to Périgord.Saxon + Parole, 316 Bowery (between Bleeker and East Houston streets); 212-254-0350.

Bianca at Vosges Haut Chocolat ($5)
Even if you can’t haul your ass out of bed during the next Snowmageddon for a toasty cup of this lavender-laced white hot chocolate, you can always buy a box to mix at home.Vosges Haut Chocolat, 132 Spring Street (between Wooster and Greene streets); 212-625-2929.

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